• There is a
lifetime of difference between waking up for a weekday long run at 0300 and
0400. There are two lifetimes of difference same scenario but make the wake-up times
0300 and 0500.
• It doesn’t
always get worse.
• It’s easy to
remember each real solution to an everyday problem that you come up with when
you’re out for a long run. If it’s a real solution, you remember it. And if
it’s not, no sweat. And good riddance.
• Patience on a run is
oft-times hard-earned. For me, at least.
• Anyone who
says a 50K isn’t an ultra has never raced Promise Land 50K. Or Rattlesnake 50K.
Or Snowflake 50K on a bitter cold day. Or Catherine’s Big Butt on a late-July
scorcher.
• No matter what
the weather, cold post-run beer is really, really hard to beat.
• Some of life’s
best steps are those first tentative strides that you take once you beat back
the overwhelming desire to give up.
• Some friends
you make in ultras – if you are lucky – touch your heart forever.
• If you let it,
crossing a 100-miler finish line can make you awfully cocky.
• I may not be
able to run this next mile, but I can damn sure run to that next tree.
• Sometimes, the
way to the silver lining is the most direct path through the pain.
• A couple decent
72-hour race mileage totals change everything.
• The best
aspect about an outstanding performance is that you surprise yourself.
• For 23 years I’ve
been running ultras, and I still don’t know much about how to run ultras.
